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Worcester County Food Bank’s (WCFB) mission is to engage, educate, and lead Worcester County in creating a hunger-free community, so its efforts go beyond the distribution of donated food. Together with its network of partner agencies, WCFB works on implementing best practices in food and nutrition assistance and collaborates with a variety of leaders at the local, state, and federal levels to create sustainable solutions to hunger through systemic change.

WCFB believes that food is a fundamental right of all people and that hunger is an issue of social justice. WCFB is a leading advocate for promoting access to healthy food by improving the quality of school breakfast and lunch, expanding the summer food service program, and increasing funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps. These systemic and sustainable solutions support children, families, and senior citizens in being more food secure and healthy.

2015 Public Policy Advocacy Priorities

Local Level

State Level

Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP) – MEFAP provides a consistent supply of quality, nutrient-rich foods and locally grown fresh produce to residents of the Commonwealth through the four Massachusetts Food Banks and their collective network of 845 food pantries, community meal programs, and shelters.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – Protect and support improvements to Massachusetts’ Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) policies and management of SNAP caseloads.

Implement and Fund the MA Food Trust ($2.5 million for MA State Budget line item 7007-300) – The MA Food Trust Program, established by law in 2014, would provide loans, grants, and technical assistance to support new and expanded healthy food retailers and food enterprises in low and moderate income communities.

Federal Level

Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act – Priorities for the coming reauthorization include strengthening the Summer Nutrition Programs so they can meet the needs of children and communities when school is out, continuing to support the momentum of school breakfast expansion in every state, and ensuring more children have a healthy start by improving early childhood nutrition programs.

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) – encourage the Secretary of Agriculture to apply bonus TEFAP purchase criteria as generously as possible and make fruits and vegetables purchases for TEFAP early and often to increase the availability of TEFAP commodities.